How to Get to the Snow Monkey Park From Tokyo: Every Route, Fare and Timetable

How do I get from Tokyo to Nagano?

Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo, Ueno or Ōmiya. The fastest Kagayaki trains take about 80 minutes and the regular reserved fare is ¥8,450. All three train types cost the same; only the speed and the seating differ.

Fact box: Tokyo → Nagano (as of October 2026; check before you travel)

• Reserved seat: ¥8,450 (regular season; +¥200 peak, +¥400 busiest peak, −¥200 off-peak)
• Non-reserved: ¥7,920 · Green Car: ¥12,110 · GranClass: ¥19,110
• Shinkansen e-ticket (Eki-net), reserved: ¥8,250
• Trains: Kagayaki (fastest, about 80 min, all seats reserved), Hakutaka (about 85–100 min, has non-reserved cars), Asama (Tokyo–Nagano only, about 100–110 min, has non-reserved cars)
• First departures from Tokyo: Kagayaki 501 at 06:16 (Nagano 07:36), Hakutaka 551 at 06:28 (08:03), Asama 601 at 06:52 (08:35)
• Last departure from Tokyo: Asama 633 at 22:08 (Nagano 23:50)

Which train? Take a Kagayaki when one fits: it is 15–25 minutes faster for the same price. Kagayaki has no non-reserved cars, though, so with a cheaper non-reserved ticket you need a Hakutaka or an Asama.

What happened to the cheap Tokudane tickets?

They have gone. JR East’s Eki-net ended its “Tokudane 14” Shinkansen e-ticket discount (last travel date 16 September 2026) and “Tokudane 1” (last travel date 29 September 2026). Any blog still promising Tokyo–Nagano for around ¥5,760 is out of date.

What remains:

• The standard Shinkansen e-ticket. Book on Eki-net and a reserved seat costs ¥200 less than a paper ticket: ¥8,250 Tokyo–Nagano.
• Tokudane Special 28. Half price on the combined fare and express ticket, but only on weekdays from 7 to 17 December 2026 (an October window has already passed), on a limited number of seats and trains. It goes on sale one month before travel and stops 28 days before (10:00–23:50 Japan time), so the December dates go on sale from 7 November 2026. If you can travel on a December weekday and book early, it is the cheapest rail deal this season.

Is a rail pass worth it for the snow monkeys?

Only if you are already using it for a longer trip. A Tokyo–Nagano round trip costs ¥16,900 at regular reserved fares, and no JR pass covers the Nagaden trains or buses beyond Nagano.

Children pay half. Prices are as of October 2026; check before you travel. Pass holders still need a seat reservation for a Kagayaki, because every seat on it is reserved; get one free at a ticket machine or office before you board.

How do I get from Nagano Station to the Snow Monkey Park?

You have two choices: the direct Nagaden express bus from the East Exit, or the Nagaden train to Yudanaka followed by a 10-minute local bus. The bus is simpler on a day trip; the train is cheaper and better if you are staying in Yudanaka or Shibu Onsen.

Option 1: the Nagaden express bus (direct)

Fact box: Nagano Station → Snow Monkey Park express bus (as of October 2026; check before you travel)

• Fare: ¥3,000 one way in winter (5 December 2026–5 April 2027), child ¥1,500, per Snow Monkey Resorts. A lower green-season fare of ¥2,000 has been reported for the weeks before 5 December; we could not confirm it, so check before you board.
• Stop: Nagano Station East Exit (東口), stop No. 23/24. Follow the “Snow Monkey Park” signs.
• Time: about 45 minutes; allow up to an hour in snow.
• Get off at: Snow Monkey Park (スノーモンキーパーク) bus stop, in Kanbayashi Onsen.
• Tickets: buy before boarding at the Aruyo ticket office (Nagano Station East Exit, 1F) or online. Don’t count on paying cash on the bus.

The payment rules are muddled this year: Snow Monkey Resorts’ timetable page says tickets must be bought before boarding, while older pages on the same site describe paying on board. Buying first at Aruyo avoids the question.

One more trap: the Shiga Kogen express bus no longer stops at the Snow Monkey Park, according to Snow Monkey Resorts (the park bus uses stop 24; the Shiga Kogen bus leaves from stop 23). Board the bus signed for the Snow Monkey Park, not any bus marked Shiga Kogen.

Winter 2026–27 timetable (5 December 2026–5 April 2027, published by Snow Monkey Resorts on 24 September 2026):

Green season 2026 (until 4 December 2026): from Nagano at 08:30, 09:00, 10:40, 11:30, 13:15 and 15:10 (plus 13:05 from 1 November); from the park at 10:00, 10:46, 13:30, 15:20, 16:30 and 18:10 (plus 17:16 from 1 November).

Option 2: the Nagaden train to Yudanaka, then the local bus

Fact box: Nagano → Yudanaka (Nagaden) (as of October 2026; check before you travel)

• Fare: ¥1,660, plus a ¥100 limited-express ticket (child ¥50) = ¥1,760 on the limited express. This has been the fare since Nagaden’s 1 December 2025 revision; ignore older guides quoting ¥1,190 or ¥1,290.
• Limited express (Snow Monkey or Yukemuri): about 45 minutes, no change.
• Local trains: 60–80 minutes, often with a change at Shinshū-Nakano.
• Snow Monkey private compartment: ¥1,200 per room, on top of your tickets.
• Rail passes: JR passes are not valid.

Finding Nagaden is the most common confusion at Nagano. It is a separate underground station. Leave the JR ticket gates, head for the Zenkōji Exit (善光寺口), and go down to the basement level signed 長野電鉄 (Nagano Dentetsu). Allow 10 minutes from the shinkansen platform. Yudanaka (湯田中) is the end of the line, so you can’t overshoot.

Watch the morning gap. In the 2026 green-season timetable the first direct limited express left Nagano at 09:53 (the last at 19:40). Earlier trains are slower locals, usually with a change at Shinshū-Nakano. Winter 2026–27 Nagaden times had not been published when we checked, so look again in late November.

Fact box: Yudanaka → Snow Monkey Park (as of October 2026; check before you travel)

• Local bus: Nagaden Kanbayashi Line or Shiga Kogen Line from outside Yudanaka Station, about 10 minutes. Get off at Snow Monkey Park (スノーモンキーパーク).
• Fare: ¥390 adult, child about half (check the fare chart on board). Pay on board; carry coins and ¥1,000 notes as a fallback, as accepted cards and apps vary by bus.
• Frequency: at least hourly. Green-season buses ran from about 07:40 to 18:15; winter 2026–27 times are not yet published.
• Taxi: about ¥1,600 one way from Yudanaka Station to the Snow Monkey Park area, with around 20% more in winter, according to Snow Monkey Resorts. The Nagaden Taxi office is directly in front of the station.

On a winter day trip, the express bus is the easier choice: no second change, buses every 20 minutes on winter mornings, and no hunting for the Nagaden platform. Take the train if you are staying in Yudanaka or Shibu, want to stop in Obuse, or are travelling outside the winter bus season, when buses run only a few times a day.

How long is the walk from the bus stop to the monkeys?

About 30–40 minutes each way, on roughly 1.6–2 km of unpaved forest path, and longer on snow. The park’s own access page gives about 2 km and 30 minutes from Kanbayashi Onsen. No road reaches the park, whichever route you take: buses, taxis, charters and tours all stop at Kanbayashi Onsen, and everyone walks the last stretch.

From the bus stop you walk a few minutes uphill through Kanbayashi Onsen to the trailhead, then follow a mostly gentle track along the Yokoyu river through cedar forest, with stairs and slopes near the end. It is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. In winter (roughly December to March) the path is packed snow and ice: wear boots with grip and pack simple crampons, which are also sold at the trailhead. Allow extra time for the walk back to your bus, especially in the afternoon.

Visitors who plan the trains and buses carefully are often surprised by this walk, so build it into your timings. Full trail details, what to wear and how to time your visit are in our Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park guide, and what to expect once you arrive covers the pool itself.

Fact box: the park (as of October 2026; check before you travel)

• Hours: April–October 8:30–17:00 · November–March 9:00–16:00. Open daily, but may close without notice in bad weather.
• Admission until 30 November 2026: adult ¥800 · child (elementary to high school) ¥400 · pre-school children free with a guardian.
• From 1 December 2026: ¥880 for an online (Webket) ticket or ¥1,000 at the gate (children ¥440 / ¥500), according to the park’s 20 September 2026 notice as reported by japan-guide. Check the official site before you go.
• Online tickets: date-specific, on sale three months ahead. From December to April, web-ticket holders get priority entry; without a ticket you may have to wait, and on crowded days you may not get in at all.
• Crowds: AFP reported in June 2026 that the park was considering a cap of about 2,000 visitors a day. The park itself has not announced a number.

Buy Webket tickets on the park’s official site, which links the booking page from its admission and hours page. Our guide to Jigokudani tickets, fees and hours walks through each step.

Are the Snow Monkey Passes worth it?

They save very little, roughly ¥80–200, but they are convenient, and they pay off if you stop along the way. Nagaden sells two different passes, and people mix them up constantly.

Winter 2026–27 prices are not yet announced; last winter’s were ¥5,100 (train) and ¥6,800 (bus). They may rise with the new park admission fee. Neither pass is sold in October and November.

Break-even, winter, adult, round trip from Nagano (using the ¥880 Webket price from 1 December 2026):

If the winter 2026–27 prices rise, these small savings may disappear. Last New Year, Nagaden also suspended pass sales for several days because the park was overcrowded, so don’t build a peak-holiday plan around buying one on the day.

Buy the train pass if you are stopping at Obuse or Suzaka, or want one ticket for everything. Otherwise, separate tickets cost about the same.

Can I do the snow monkeys as a day trip from Tokyo?

Yes, comfortably, if you leave early. The sample plans below use the 2026 shinkansen timetable and the published winter 2026–27 express bus times. JR revises its timetable every March, so check Eki-net for your date.

Plan A: winter day trip by express bus (5 December 2026–5 April 2027)

Latest safe plan: the park closes at 16:00 in winter and the last express bus leaves the park at 17:00. From Nagano, Hakutaka 576 at 20:37 reaches Tokyo at 22:12, and the last Kagayaki, 518, leaves at 22:11 and arrives at 23:32.

Plan B: by train, if the bus doesn’t suit

Take Kagayaki 501 to Nagano (07:36), then a Nagaden train to Yudanaka, the local bus and the walk. Until the winter Nagaden timetable appears, assume the first direct limited express is not much before 10:00, so an early start means a slower local train with a change. Allow 30–60 minutes more than Plan A.

The last useful bus back down is earlier than you would like, and a missed connection on a February afternoon is yours to solve in a valley with one road. Plenty of people do this route happily; give it a whole day rather than squeezing it.

Plan C: stay overnight (our pick for winter)

• Day 1: Leave Tokyo after lunch, take the Nagaden limited express to Yudanaka, and check in at Yudanaka or Shibu Onsen (our guide to where to stay has the inns). Soak, eat, wander the lanes.
• Day 2: Local bus to the trailhead for the 9:00 opening, ahead of the day-trippers arriving on the morning buses from Nagano. Then return by train, perhaps with a stop at Obuse, and an afternoon shinkansen to Tokyo or on to Kanazawa.

Monkeys in the hot spring are never guaranteed, but winter mornings usually give the best odds. See the best time to see the snow monkeys for month-by-month odds, and our Shibu Onsen guide for where to stay near the park.

What is the cheapest way to get to the Snow Monkey Park now that Tokudane has ended?

By rail: a non-reserved shinkansen plus the Nagaden local train and local bus, at about ¥10,000 one way. Overall: the highway bus from Shinjuku, from about ¥6,250 one way to the park bus stop. The Tokudane Special 28 sale can undercut both on its eligible December weekdays.

Highway bus from Shinjuku

Fact box: Busta Shinjuku → Nagano Station (as of October 2026; check before you travel)

• Operators: Alpico, Keio and Nagaden, running jointly
• Fare: daytime ¥4,200–5,100; overnight ¥4,500–5,100 (varies by date)
• Time: about 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours, traffic permitting
• Nagano stop: since 1 August 2026, East Exit stop No. 23 (previously the Zenkōji Exit), the same side as the snow monkey express bus

A Shinjuku–Nagano round trip saves roughly ¥8,000 compared with reserved bullet-train seats, at the cost of four to five extra hours on the road. Take it on a tight budget, or for one leg of the journey only.

Total round-trip costs (adult, from Tokyo, winter 2026–27)

Before 1 December the park costs ¥800, so October and November trips come in a little cheaper.

Should I take a tour instead?

On peak winter weekends and holidays, a tour can justify the extra cost. Getting there yourself is easy on Route A, but a tour takes care of the bus queue, the Webket booking and the timing.

Disclosure: Some links on this page are GetYourGuide affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

On GetYourGuide you’ll find three broad types: private drivers or guides who collect you in Tokyo, small-group tours that start in Nagano after you ride the shinkansen yourself, and coach-style day trips. Compare the tours side by side, with park entry, lunch and time at the pools. To plan Zenko-ji as well, see our Nagano day trip from Tokyo.

A private charter, door to door

A driver collects you from your Tokyo hotel and takes you the whole way: three and a half to four hours each way, which is why every charter runs to a ten-hour day.

• Time: 3.5–4 hours each way
• Cost: $383–$457 for the whole vehicle on the charters we compare, up to five or six people; the wider catalogue starts at about $305
• Includes: usually tolls, fuel and parking; never park admission
• Pickup: anywhere in Tokyo’s 23 wards, including Airbnb addresses. Not airports.

The best-value charter in our comparison is the Nagano/Tokyo: Snow Monkey Private Day Tour At Lowest Rate (from $383 per vehicle, 4.8/5 from 55 reviews). A family or group of up to six can also split the Tokyo: Nagano Snow Monkey and Zenkoji Temple Private Tour (from $443 per group, 4.8/5 from 80 reviews), which adds Zenkō-ji. A couple travelling alone can look at the Tokyo: Private Snow Monkey Park & Nagano Scenic Day Trip (from $102 per person, 4.9/5 from 220+ reviews), the most reviewed snow monkey tour from Tokyo, with two hours at the park.

A charter is the slowest of the routes here. In exchange, no connection can go wrong, your luggage stays in the car, and you can add Zenkō-ji or Shibu Onsen on the way back. For a family with small children or anyone with limited mobility, it is the only route without several changes. The drawback is seven to eight hours in a vehicle, and a fare that only makes sense split between three or more people. See the charters →

Bullet train, then a local tour from Nagano

Ride the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano yourself (80–100 minutes, ¥7,920 non-reserved or ¥8,450 reserved each way), and a local operator drives you the last 45 minutes. The Nagano: Snow Monkey Park, Soba Lunch, and Shibu Onsen Tour (from $127 per person, rated close to 5/5 from 17 reviews, still a small sample) includes park entry, a soba lunch and a hot spring bath, with pickup at Nagano, Yudanaka or Iiyama station. The 1 Day Tour: Snow Monkeys & Snow Fun in Shiga Kogen (from $164 per person, rated close to 5/5 from 55 reviews) adds time in the snow at Shiga Kogen.

For one or two travellers this is the fastest way to the pool and usually the cheapest guided option. You get about two hours with the monkeys because you are not spending seven hours on the road. Book the tour before the train: the tour has one departure, the shinkansen has many. See how the rail route works →

The arithmetic, side by side

For a couple, a day out of Tokyo:

For a family of four, the charter moves to the front: $383 for the vehicle against four tour fares and four return shinkansen tickets.

We compare every option, with current prices, in which snow monkey tour from Tokyo is right for you, and explain how GetYourGuide handles bookings and refunds in is GetYourGuide reliable?.

Solo travellers and couples who don’t mind one change can go it alone on Route A. Families, first-timers in deep winter, and anyone visiting over New Year or a Japanese public holiday get the most from a tour.

Can I drive to the Snow Monkey Park?

Yes, but think twice in winter. The park asks winter visitors to use public transport and avoid cars and rental cars where possible.

Driving makes sense from spring to autumn, or if you are combining Shiga Kogen and Obuse. From January to February, take the train.

How do I get there from elsewhere in Japan?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming your JR Pass covers Nagaden. It doesn’t. Budget ¥1,760 each way for the limited express, or ¥3,000 for the winter bus.
• Avoiding the Kagayaki on a Japan Rail Pass. Older guides say the pass excludes it; it doesn’t. Get a seat reservation, because the Kagayaki is all-reserved.
• Planning around Tokudane 14. It ended in September 2026.
• Looking for Nagaden on the JR concourse. It is underground, off the Zenkōji Exit.
• Turning up at the express bus without a ticket. Buy at Aruyo first.
• Boarding any “Shiga Kogen” bus at Nagano. The Shiga Kogen express no longer stops at the park.
• Buying the train pass and expecting the express bus. They are different products.
• Skipping Webket from December to April. Web-ticket holders get priority; without one you may wait, or be turned away on crowded days.
• Missing the last bus. The park closes at 16:00 in winter; the last express bus leaves at 17:00.
• Wearing trainers on ice. Boots and crampons.
• Expecting a bathing show. The monkeys are wild. Mornings in deep winter usually give the best odds, but nothing is guaranteed.

Which route should you pick?

One or two of you, and you want the day to be about the monkeys: take the train, either on your own by Route A or with a local tour from Nagano. Three or more, or you want the temple stops, or someone in the group would struggle with connections: take a charter. A confident independent traveller with a whole free day and no train to catch that evening can do it by train and bus and take their time.

Compare all the tours → or check when to go before you fix a date, because the month changes the trip more than the route does.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get from Tokyo to the Snow Monkey Park?

About three hours: roughly 80 minutes by Kagayaki to Nagano, 45–50 minutes on the express bus, and a walk of about 30–40 minutes.

How much does it cost to get from Tokyo to the Snow Monkey Park?

From 5 December 2026, about ¥11,450 one way by reserved shinkansen (¥8,450) and winter express bus (¥3,000), plus the park ticket. A round trip by train and local bus costs about ¥22,000 including entry (as of October 2026; check before you travel).

What is the cheapest way from Tokyo to the snow monkeys?

The Shinjuku–Nagano highway bus (from ¥4,200) plus the Nagaden train and local bus. By rail, a non-reserved shinkansen and the Nagaden local train cost about ¥10,000 one way.

Can I still buy Tokudane tickets to Nagano?

No. Tokudane 14 and Tokudane 1 ended in September 2026. Only the ¥200 e-ticket discount and Tokudane Special 28 remain; its remaining dates are selected weekdays from 7 to 17 December 2026, and sales close 28 days ahead.

Does the JR Pass cover the Snow Monkey Park?

Only the Tokyo–Nagano shinkansen, on any service including the Kagayaki. Nagaden trains, buses and park entry cost extra.

Does the JR Tokyo Wide Pass go to Nagano?

No. Its Hokuriku Shinkansen coverage ends at Sakudaira.

What is the fastest train from Tokyo to Nagano?

The Kagayaki, at about 80 minutes. The first leaves Tokyo at 06:16 and reaches Nagano at 07:36.

How do I get from Nagano Station to the Snow Monkey Park?

Take the Nagaden express bus signed for the Snow Monkey Park from East Exit stop 23/24 (about 45 minutes), or the Nagaden limited express to Yudanaka (about 45 minutes, ¥1,760) and then the ¥390 local bus.

Can I pay cash on the Snow Monkey express bus?

Don’t count on it. Buy your ticket before boarding at the Aruyo ticket office (Nagano Station East Exit, 1F) or online.

How much is the Nagaden train from Nagano to Yudanaka?

¥1,660, plus ¥100 for the limited express: ¥1,760 one way since 1 December 2025.

Is the Snow Monkey Pass worth it?

It saves only about ¥80–200 compared with separate tickets at last winter’s prices, but it is convenient and pays off if you stop at Obuse. Winter 2026–27 prices have not been announced.

How much is a taxi from Yudanaka to the Snow Monkey Park?

About ¥1,600 one way, with around 20% more in winter, according to Snow Monkey Resorts. The taxi stops at Kanbayashi Onsen; you still walk the trail.

Can I drive there in winter?

Yes, with winter tyres, to the free Kanbayashi Onsen car park. The Jigokudani car park is closed in winter, and the park asks winter visitors to use public transport where possible.

Do I need crampons?

From roughly December to March, yes. The trail is packed snow and ice.

Do I need to book the park in advance?

From December to April it’s strongly advised: online ticket holders get priority, and walk-ins may be refused on crowded days.

Is a tour better than taking the train yourself?

For one or two travellers who can manage one change, the train is cheaper and gives you as long at the pool as you like. A private charter from $383 per vehicle makes sense for three or more people, small children or limited mobility, and a local tour from Nagano (from $127 per person) bundles entry and lunch.

Practical info

Practical info (checked October 2026)

• Shinkansen Tokyo → Nagano: ¥8,450 reserved / ¥7,920 non-reserved / ¥8,250 e-ticket; Kagayaki from about 80 min; covered by the Japan Rail Pass
• Nagaden Nagano → Yudanaka: ¥1,660 + ¥100 limited express; about 45 min; underground station, Zenkōji Exit
• Express bus Nagano East Exit (stop 23/24) → Snow Monkey Park: ¥3,000 in winter (5 Dec 2026–5 Apr 2027); about 45 min; buy before boarding
• Local bus Yudanaka → Snow Monkey Park: ¥390; about 10 min
• Highway bus Shinjuku → Nagano: ¥4,200–5,100; about 4 h
• Park: ¥800 to 30 Nov 2026; from 1 Dec ¥880 online / ¥1,000 gate (reported); winter hours 9:00–16:00
• Snow Monkey Passes: winter 2026–27 prices not yet announced; not sold October–November
• Japanese names to show staff: 長野駅 Nagano-eki · 長野電鉄 Nagano Dentetsu · 湯田中 Yudanaka · スノーモンキーパーク Snow Monkey Park · 上林温泉 Kanbayashi Onsen · 地獄谷野猿公苑 Jigokudani Yaen-kōen

Sources

• JR East press release on Eki-net discount changes (7 Aug 2026)
• JR Shinkansen Net: Tokyo–Nagano fares (2026)
• Ekitan: Tokyo → Nagano Kagayaki timetable
• Ekitan: Nagano → Tokyo shinkansen timetable
• JR East: new rail passes for inbound visitors (28 Jan 2026)
• JR Central: Japan Rail Pass price notice (9 Apr 2026)
• Snow Monkey Resorts: Hokuriku Shinkansen (pass coverage)
• Nagano Electric Railway: fare revision (Dec 2025)
• Nagano Electric Railway: Snow Monkey Resort winter 2025–26 leaflet
• Snow Monkey Resorts: Nagaden express bus timetable (updated 24 Sep 2026)
• Snow Monkey Resorts: Nagaden express bus
• Snow Monkey Resorts: Nagano Dentetsu line
• Snow Monkey Resorts: Nagano Dentetsu timetable
• Snow Monkey Resorts: local bus timetable
• Snow Monkey Resorts: taxi information
• Snow Monkey Resorts: Snow Monkey 1-day pass
• Alpico: Shinjuku ⇄ Nagano highway bus
• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: admission and hours
• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: access
• japan-guide: Jigokudani Monkey Park